New Hampshire students with dreams of a career onstage, backstage or behind the scenes will have the opportunity to strut their stuff for the state’s professional theatres at the 2009 New Hampshire Professional Theatre Association Auditions and Interviews, scheduled to take place February 21 at Plymouth State University’s Silver Center for the Arts.

Again this year, New Hampshire college and university students as well as New Hampshire residents enrolled in higher education out of state may participate. In addition, faculty from New Hampshire colleges, universities and high schools—both public and private—may audition and are encouraged to interview for director, design and production positions, and New Hampshire residents 18 and older can audition for on-stage roles.

Representatives from more than a dozen professional theatres across the state are expected to be on hand as they look to fill positions for summer and fall 2009 productions.

“New Hampshire produces great theatre, in no small part because of our outstanding home-grown theatre talent,” said Lyn Winter, managing director of the Weathervane Theatre. “Unlike other regional auditions that take place in New England and New York, this is a unique event that supports and strengthens our state’s theatre industry by focusing on employing New Hampshire talent at New Hampshire theatres.”

“Nearly 100 students from across the state participated in the 2008 Auditions and Interviews, with many of them receiving job offers,” said Elizabeth Cox, associate professor and director of theatre at Plymouth State University. “Showing the next generation of New Hampshire theatre talent that they can pursue their dreams right here in the Granite State strengthens our already vibrant theatre community.”

The New Hampshire Professional Theatre Association Auditions and Interviews are just one project to come out of the Governor’s Jobs Cabinet, which focuses on creating and identifying job opportunities statewide.

“New Hampshire has a long history of outstanding professional theatre, and this program will help secure that legacy by giving New Hampshire residents the opportunity to stay in the state while doing what they love,” said Van McLeod, commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Cultural Resources.

“There are so many ways to work in theatre that don’t involve acting,” McLeod continued. “Without people creating sets and lighting, without people doing marketing and working the box office, theatres wouldn’t exist.”

Preregistration for the 2009 New Hampshire Professional Theatre Association Auditions and Interviews is required. More information and updates are available at www.nhprotheatre.org.

The New Hampshire Professional Theatre Association is a resource for the theatre community that provides information on events, jobs and theatre news. It is also a source for the public to find information about the Granite State’s professional theatre productions, as well as information on lodging, dining and other attractions near each member theatre. Learn more at www.nhprotheatre.org.

New Hampshire’s Department of Cultural Resources includes the State Council on the Arts, the Film and Television Office, the Division of Historical Resources, the State Library and the American Canadian French Cultural Exchange Commission. The Department strives to nurture the cultural well-being of our state. From the covered bridges and traditional music of our past to the avant-garde performances and technological resources of today and tomorrow, New Hampshire’s culture is as varied as its geography and its people. This strong cultural base—which truly has something for everyone—attracts businesses looking for engaged workforces, provides outstanding educational opportunities and creates communities worth living in. Learn more at www.nh.gov/nhculture/.

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NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information about the 2009 New Hampshire Professional Theatre Association Auditions and Interviews, to schedule an interview or to arrange to attend the event, please contact Shelly Angers, 603-271-3136, [email protected]